Love is for Real
by Lelimo
Summary: Hogwarts is holding an International Wizarding Schools Conference. One boy and one girl have been chosen to help organise it which brings them closer together, so each learns things about the other that they never would have guessed...
1. Chapter One

New story – completely different – same author – hope you all like.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Harry Potter, it's J K Rowling's, lucky her,just theplot and only the plot is mine……

Love is For Real

Chapter One

'BRING BRING' went an alarm clock and a lazy arm reached out towards it, lifted it up and threw it across the room, which then not surprisingly stopped it from ringing. The girl groaned and turned over, she gasped as her cheek hit the cold side of the pillow but not caring she snuggled down into duvet and started to fall asleep again. She tried to recall the dream she'd been having, it had been a very good dream, one that probably would have made her Mother blush!

Slowly, sleep began to overcome her but then there was a 'KNOCK KNOCK' on her door.

'Go away,' she said firmly. 'I'm trying to sleep.'

'Come on Ginny dear, it's nearly 10 o'clock and we have to get to Kings Cross Station. So hurry up and get up or I will not be responsible for my actions!'

Ginevra heard her Mother walk away as she hauled herself out of bed and plodded across her room (which really only took about 3 steps as her room was a box) and rummaged in her chest of drawers for some 'suitable' clothes. This was in her opinion, not in her parents or brothers opinions; apparently they all thought she was growing up too fast……

'I'm 16 for Christ's sakes,' Ginevra muttered to herself and continued to look for some clothes. 10 minutes later there were clothes spread over her floor, bed, chairs, desk and anything else that resided in her room. 'MUM!' she shouted down the stairs, 'where the hell is my purple top!'

Molly Weasley poked her head round the door along with Fred and George.

'Woah Gin, when did you grow up!' Fred asked.

'I mean, if you weren't my sister…… ouch!' George had been slapped by his Mother.

'Get downstairs the both of you, you need to head off and open your shop.' Molly growled angrily at them. Molly shook her head as the twins apparated, then turned to her daughter. 'Which purple top, you have 17 at the last count…'

'Oh, the one with the buttons and shirt attached to it.'

'That one was in your fourth draw,' Molly paused and cast a disapproving look around Ginevra's room, 'but by the looks of it, it won't be anymore.'

Ginevra looked down to the ground, blushed and her toes slowly crept inwards as her hands moved to behind her back, this was something she had always done, since she was a little girl, when she was being told off or was embarrassed. Molly moved into her room and began to pick up random clothes to look for Ginevra's top and place the others neatly on the bed.

'Here you are my darling,' Molly said while handing her daughter the top, 'breakfast in 5 minutes.' And with that Molly walked from the room.

Ginevra hastily pulled the top over her head and moved in front of her full length mirror.

'Oops,' she muttered as she realised she hadn't pulled her hair from out of her top, so it looked as if she had very short hair. As she removed her hair from between her top and her back, it tickled the back of her neck, her only ticklish point. Her hair hung down her back, like one, long auburn sheet that shimmered when the light that peeked through her curtains caught it. Her big, brown eyes that shone innocence itself were lined by long, jet black eyelashes and if looked through, hearts would melt. Ginevra ran a critical eye over herself, she really had grown into her own, with curves that any girl or young woman would crave for – not too exaggerated but they were there and noticeable, except obviously to her brothers, which, taking all things into respect was probably a good thing. Also her height, this was something to be proud of, she had obviously followed in Ron's footsteps, except with out the gangliness, she had managed to reach a height of about 5ft and 9 inches.

The purple top she was wearing clung to these curves and had a low cut v neck with a white shirt with dark purple stripes sewn onto the inside of it. The sleeves were ¾ length and the end of the top stopped just below her belly button, showing the slight tan she had received through the very warm summer. Then over her legs, she wore dark blue, very worn and low rise jeans that hugged her hips and bum nicely, finishing off with what were once white but now more brown coloured trainers. Happy with the overall look, she laughed and turned in a circle then sprinted down the stairs at full pace. She could now out run 2 of her brothers and nearly the rest of them, all this exercise over the summer had toned her legs to a pleasing shape, or that was what she thought. Ginevra, was happy and that's how she liked it.

0000

15 minutes before they were meant to leave, Molly asked her daughter, 'Have you actually packed?'

'Ah, slight problem there,' she replied guiltily.

'You children really will be the death of me.' Molly Weasley said as she pulled out her wand and muttered a spell causing Ginevra's suitcase to pack and come down the stairs to join Ron's.

Ron walked slowly into the room and nodded to Ginevra and passed on by, but to Ginevra's utter amazement he stopped and turned slowly on the spot to look at her. Ron blinked stupidly and shook his head.

'What!' Ginevra asked.

'You, you're…… you're not going to wear those clothes to school, you'll have boys looking at you. They're going to think you're hot, that is not allowed. Mum! You can't allow Ginny to go to school looking like…… like a…… a……' Ron was lost for words.

Molly came into the living room drying her hands on a tea towel, 'Ronald, be quiet, Ginny's old enough to dress how she wishes and she doesn't look at all bad,' Molly turned to Ginevra, 'although dear, I would suggest some of that lovely lip gloss you bought from Diagon Ally the other day,' she surveyed her daughter, 'you don't need any other make up, I think that'll do. Yes.' Molly smiled.

'Thanks Mum,' Ginevra smiled back and stuck her tongue out at Ron.

'Come on, come on children!' Arthur Weasley called from the car. 'We have to get going.'

0000

The journey to King's Cross was uneventful and boring, Ron kept staring daggers at her, but Ginevra ignored this immature feat of Ron's and just listened to her discman.

They arrived on the platform, with 15 minutes to spare, which for the Weasley's was quite an achievement. Ginevra vaguely heard her Mother telling her random things to which she wasn't really listening. She muttered quick goodbyes and got onto the train as quickly as possible, not stopping to say hello to Harry or Hermione, who both looked at her with great amazement.

0000

'Excuse me Mister Malfoy?'

Draco looked around to face his house elf, Benny, 'yes?' he replied.

'Er, um, well you Father requests you to go and see him please…'

'Yes, tell I will be there presently.' Benny left; Draco sighed and ran one hand through his un-tame blonde hair that he had given up on gelling after the 5th Year. His Father didn't like him, but Draco's answer to that was always – 'screw you.' Draco yanked open his wardrobe and observed his clothes, black, black, black, grey, grey and that was how it continued. He shook his head but pulled out some black slacks and a black t-shirt, nothing special but then there was no one special to impress, so it really didn't make any difference.

Draco had grown in the last year to a reasonable height of 6ft 2in, and wasn't exactly a weakling when it came to the talk of muscles, all the quidditch training and fighting that he had done over the years. The only problem was that as he was now this big, there was the question of whether he still fitted the requirements to be a seeker, which he had to be this year, he had to beat Potter, at least once. If he left school without doing so, he wouldn't be responsible for his actions. He surveyed his face for a while, his eyes, he didn't actually know what colour they were, they changed, just like him, almost as if they suited his mood. The colours varied from silver to grey to silvery blue to a blue black, but that was only really when he was very, very angry.

0000

Draco walked into his Father's study and quickly but silently made an exit again, he didn't want to stay to watch that. His Father had one of his whores with him and that was a sight he really didn't want to see nor think about. So he just stood outside the door, waiting until he was called in.

'Draco, enter.' Draco pushed open the door. 'What have I told you about knocking?'

'Well Father,' he spat, 'I was late and you normally punish me for being late, so I thought I would walk in, which is something I can guarantee I will not do again.' Draco kept eye contact with his Father, he was matching him in height and so found it easy to do and his Father couldn't intimidate him anymore.

His Father turned around and walked behind his desk, which at the precise point in time was in complete chaos, obviously due to the 'activity' that had taken place here not ten minutes before. Draco didn't want to think about that anymore and decided for once to concentrate on what his Father was telling him.

'Now, we need to consider what role you will play in the future within my life and what I do.'

Draco looked at his Father quizzically.

'To do with the Dark Lord.' Lucius snapped.

'I should've guessed.' Draco muttered to himself. 'No surprise there.'

'What did you say?' Draco didn't reply and looked his Father squarely in the eye, not flicking for a moment. 'I said repeat yourself.' Lucius said darkly.

'It's a matter of no importance.'

'My patience with you, son, is becoming very thin, I expect you to be on your proper behaviour when in his presence, especially as you do not respect me like you should and for that I will punish you.'

Draco closed his eyes and waited, he waited and he waited but nothing happened. Slowly and cautiously he opened his eyes to see his father staring at him with a sneer plastered across his lips.

'Am I that obvious?' He asked. 'No Draco, I shall not punish you directly……' He trailed off.

'Then, what, what are you going to do…? Draco questioned, but as he finished it dawned on him what his Father was planning to do. 'You bastard.'

'Now, now Draco, no language like that thank you, and insulting me will only make her punishment more fearsome and painful.'

Draco tried not to show the fear that was welling up inside of him and he tried to concentrate on the anger that he felt for this man, this monster who tried to govern his life and make him someone who Draco didn't want to be.

'If that's all, I shall go and pack now.'

'No, it isn't all. The reason I summoned you to me, was to inform you that the Dark Lord, sees a lot of potential within you, that he wishes to use in the final battle. I on the other hand have better idea, you and me…' Lucius paused expecting a reaction from Draco but not getting one. When he didn't merit a reaction Lucius sighed, not a deep sigh, not a regretful sigh but an angry and annoyed sigh. Draco knew his Father had given up on shouting at him, but he really didn't understand.

'What does he expect me to do when he talks in code? I'm not a bloody mind reader.' Draco thought angrily.

'You and me, against him, together we could overtake and rule, of course I have to find out what's so special about you but once that has been completed… What do you say?'

'What a load of bull.' Draco turned and walked towards the door. 'I'm going to pack, I'll think about the whole Dark Lord thing you've got going there Father.' He mocked and then walked from the room without looking back.

0000

He arrived at Kings Cross Station, with plenty of time to spare. He didn't however, spare a moment to say thank you to his driver and so just walked straight onto the platform, not caring who saw him. Climbing onto the train he noticed it was pretty much deserted and so went to lay claim to a good compartment. It wasn't the best, he hadn't been given the 'honour' of being Head Boy, which his Father again was unhappy about, he dreaded to think who had got it though. Draco got comfortable and slowly fell asleep and didn't wake until they reached Hogwarts.

Well that's the first chapter of my new story – it's very different from my first one, which I am continuing by the way. This idea came into my head and so I decided to follow it through. Hope you liked it. Please review, so I know what you think and whether I should continue…… Lelimo.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Ginevra sat silently on the train, knee deep in her thoughts, contemplating this year and what it possibly had in store for her. Music pounded into her ears from a muggle CD player given to her by Hermione, the lyrics continuously washed over her, making her think.

'_I don't know what's worth fighting for_

_Or why I have to choose_

_I don't know why I instigate _

_And say what I don't mean_

_I don't know how I got this way_

_I know it's not alright_

_So I'm b__reaking the habit_

_Tonight'_

She was going into her sixth year, not as a prefect guaranteed but she was still relatively bright and capable. She liked to think that she had the potential to do good, although she was never told this, complements weren't something that were given to her on a regular basis, her brothers didn't redeem it particularly necessary and her parents, they told her well done but that didn't really hit the spot, so to speak.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance into her compartment of three not particularly welcome, at the moment friends.

'Hey Gin!' Hermione smiled at her. Ron didn't bother to acknowledge her as he was still angry with the way that she had decided to dress. However, Ginevra did notice that Harry chose to acknowledge her, not with his usual cheery 'hello' but with an appreciative sideways glance of her, up and down. Ginevra shook her head and smirked to herself, thinking with a smile how Ron never took much notice to the looks Harry gave her, whereas if Colin came near… well that was very different, what you'd called ironic really.

'Harry? Hello? Harry?'

'Ginny,' he said quickly pulling himself away from her upper torso to look her in the eyes. 'How are you?'

'Fine thanks. Ron, don't forget Mum told you to send her an owl when we arrive at school, to let her know we're safe…' She trailed off. 'Ron…? Stop being so bloody immature and grow up for goodness sake.'

Hermione looked across at Ginevra, 'What's wrong with him?' She questioned.

'He's in a strop because he doesn't like the way that I look, almost called me a slut earlier on.' Ginevra said spitefully.

'Ron! What is the matter with you? She's 16 for god's sake, it's life, yes she's your little sister and of course you're going to be protective but there's protective and there's protective. You've got to let her live her own life and make her own mistakes, just like you've done.' Hermione lectured.

Ginevra could've leapt up and hugged Hermione to almost certain death but instead she kept her cool, smiled and nodded to Hermione in a thankful way. She knew Hermione understood, so she got up and walked out of the carriage not forgetting to charismatically exaggerating the twist of her hips for the benefit of Harry's gaze, so then she knew Ron would for once catch onto what Harry was doing. Before she exited the compartment though she added, 'No Harry, no.' And left, knowing Ron was shooting Harry a dark and protective look, she just chuckled.

0000

Ginevra found herself an empty compartment further up the train in which she sat down to absorb herself within her book. A book of romance, adventure, life, learning and philosophy.

'I swear too many of those books will make you go crazy…'

Ginevra smiled at the sound of this voice. 'You never will let me enter my own little world, will you Colin?'

'Oh no, because then I might just lose you to whichever hero appears in that book whether he's dark or blonde, tall or short, it's never me is it?' Colin smiled sadly.

'Colin……' Ginevra said dangerously. 'We've been through this before.'

'I'm joking, I'm joking, honest.' And that was the end of their conversation for the rest of the journey. Ginevra closed her book and looked out of the window watching the raindrops hit the glass and then struggle to be the first to make it to the bottom of the pane, survival of the fittest.

'That's life, survival and the way for me to survive is to not fall in love, not now, I can't… I have to find love in my books and that's the way it'll stay. I can't let my feelings appear on the surface and show, no one must know, never.' Ginevra thought to herself.

Colin, who was slowly drifting off to sleep had been constantly asking Ginevra out for the past year, he had never taken no for an answer even with the threats from Ron. He knew they were the best of friends and that it would always be that way but he wasn't one for not trying. Ginevra on the other hand, couldn't let him see her, who she truely was, couldn't allow him in, she wasn't able to care, not in that way anyway, not after what had happened… she had to remain a mystery.She could tease, she could flirt and she could lead men on but not love, she couldn't find it in her heart anymore that treasure, that gift had gone, it had fled her and she had no way, no idea of how to get it back. She was stuck, all because of him, what he did in the past...

0000

'Ginny! Ginny! Hello? Anyone there, anyone in, we're here.' The voice of Colin entered her thoughts.

'I wasn't asleep, honest, I was thinking.'

'Hmmm, yeah whatever you say. Let's go.'

They both joined the throng of people out in the corridor and slowly made their way onto the platform, listening to the shouts of Hagrid trying to get hold of all the first years and the cries of people as friends met for the first time in 2 months.

Ginevra smiled to herself as she climbed into a carriage with Colin and 4 other people from her year. With that they made their way up to the castle.

0000

Draco grudgingly joined Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and her 'cronies' in a compartment as it was the easiest thing to do and saved him time finding his own.

'Drakie! How are you? Good summer? Well it can't have been that good seeing as we were separated fornearly the wholeof it. Didn't you just love the way our parents liked seeing us together, as a couple,' she paused and looked coyly at Draco then continued, 'as a future husband and wife?'

'Well to be frank Pansy, no I didn't, no I didn't have a particularly good summer and I'm not great either, but thanks for asking,' Draco stated spitefully.

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered under their breaths and turned to talk to Draco in their gormless way, while Pansy, almost in tears fled the compartment and went and trapped herself in the girls toilet for the rest of the journey expecting Draco to come after her and beg for forgiveness, of which, he did no such thing.

Draco decided to busy himself with some last minute homework that he had and had forgotten to do. He didn't bother with Snape's work, as Snape knew all the excuses so Draco would just tell him the truth and Snape would have to except it. It was the way they worked. However, not doing McGonagall's work meant positive death and so this gained top priority on his to-do list. In fact it caused him so much pain and time, Draco nearly considered actually giving up and facing McGonagall with some stupid and untruthful excuse, but, he, Draco Malfoy was much higher than that and so pressed on, being the 'great and studious' person that he was.

0000

Draco observed the candles, the ghosts, the darkness but most of all the people as he entered the Great Hall for the beginning of term banquet. All these people around him, he smirked to think that probably all of them knew of him, knew he existed, this did a lot for his ego knowing that the majority of them feared him. The majority, that was the problem, it's only the majority. 'This is where having an influence like my father about can be… helpful...' Draco smiled to himself. His thoughts moved on and he forgot about people, how they don't matter, how they're only a part of the world, how they exist as empty shells that walk around and occasionally the odd one uses their brain.

He sat down at the Slytherin table near to Goyle and Crabbe but not to close, he didn't think he could take anymore of their mindless and pointless babble. Why couldn't someone he knew conduct an interesting and thought provoking conversation? Was it really that difficult? He watched the group of candles in front of him and how they swayed and moved with the bats as they flew past or as a gust of wind stirred around the rafters in the Great Hall. They flickered and danced, moving in time with one another and cast long, sinister shadows across the tables. Finally, Draco closed his eyes.

His eyes remained closed all the way through the sorting, through Dumbledore's speech and through the greater part of dinner. Until he realised that he hadn't eaten since about 9am that morning and so began to fill his plate and enjoy the food with the rest of the Hall.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to his right to see Blaise Zabini sitting there. 'You look deep in thought…'

'Which doesn't mean I'm going to share it with you,' he thought and then said out loud, 'yeah, I was a bit, nothing of interest though unfortunately, just the usual trauma…' Draco smirked.

Blaise, knowing what this meant smirked back and then mockingly in a whisper coughed, said 'Pansy' then coughed again, which caused people round them to laugh and Pansy to rotate her head round to look at the two boys and their smirks. She turned her nose up at them and looked away disapprovingly, which made them go into quiet fits of laughter.

'He's not half bad really,' Draco thought about Blaise.

They continued to talk about everything and anything, so Draco received his first decent conversation in about 18 months from someone he'd never considered to talk to. This surprised him, he thought himself a good judge of character, maybe not a fair one, but a good one. For instance he wasn't good when it came to judging the Weasleys, they were automatically bad, no questioning, any Weasley was bad news in his eyes, they were given no chances.

0000

Just before dinner was about to end, Draco received another tap on the shoulder and it was a much less welcome person than before, not that Blaise had been a welcome person in the first place, but this one was ten times worse, Professor Snape.

'Draco, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you before you leave to go to your dormitory, at the teacher's table.' And with a swish of his cloak, Snape left.

'Not so much as a please or a thank you, some people are so bloody rude.' Draco shook his head in mock disappointment, while Blaise looked at him with one eyebrow raised as if to say 'you can talk'.

'Well I'd better go see what the old coot wants otherwise knowing me I'll get a detention or something. See you around Blaise.'

'Yeah man, laters.'

Draco looked at Blaise oddly. 'I've been in America for the summer…' Blaise explained.

'Would explain it then.' Draco commented.

As he made his way to the teacher's table, he saw someone else move away from the crowd that was leaving the Great Hall and walk towards the teacher's table. This girl had flaming red hair and she carried herself with an air of dignity and confidence. Draco shook his head and took another look at the approaching girl and realised on this second glance that it was no other than the youngest Weasley.

'FUCK!' This was the first thought to enter into Draco's head and this was the way it stayed until he was standing right next to her opposite the headmaster. She stared at the headmaster defiantly and he knew that if she looked at him, then her look would be a look to kill and to kill him, so she obviously wasn't happy with this so called arrangement either.

'Nice to know,' thought Draco. 'She's not part of the majority that's for sure.'

Well that's the second chapter. Hope this one deserves reviews unlike the first; I'm going to carry on with this whether you guys like it or not, so please, please review to tell me how it's going, please, please. Thanks. Lelimo.


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